Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1887-08-26
THE BATTLE OF CHERRY GROVE.

The prisoners escaped about noon on
Wednesday. Friday afternoon two men
came to the farmhouse of Mr.. F. D.
Walker. a farmer living some seven or
eight miles northeast of Willlamsport, and
wanted to hire out. But Uncle Dudley
didn't need anybody just then so, after
getting off his hour and a-half temper
ance speech at them, he let them 60 and,
hearing that there was a vacancy on the
editorial staff Of the Ozone, they started
off toward Steele. A short time after
ward the bounding steed which furnishes
the motive power for a dilapldated buck
board and Uncle Sans mail between the
shire towns of Emmons and Kidtlcr came
along, and with it the card giving notice
of the escape and description of the
runaways. Uncle Dudley thought of his
recent visitors, and the stage cdriyer said,
''Ihey're your men-go and take EN-"
Il will, be gosll," said Dudley. So he went
in the house, and soon appeared with
the sabcr blunderbuss and uniform that
he used in the revolutionary war There
was no time to lose. A. big chunk had
disappeared from the afternoon, and
darkness would certainly prevent capture.
SO our thicf-takcr started of ut once after
IL "possy come-and. .catch-us." Contractor
Murphy and Matt Lockton were soon en-
listed under his banner 1t was now,
strange as it may appear, still later in the
afternoon than il was short time before :;
but the danger of darkness was soon cir
cumvented. for the general. in chief,
Joshua-llkc, at once commanded the sun
TO stand still, and it stood. The general
then, after several miscues caused by his
sword getting between his legs, vaultcd
into the saddle aslride his bay mare, and
the procession moved, the general with
drawn saber.ridng at the head.
And, as the cavalcade marched, ever and
anon the warriors sang. and the words of
"Tis Sweet to Die Soldiers Death"
eve Won't Go Home Till Morning" and
other stirring military airs were borne
out upon the prairie, and the buttes and
gopher-hills echoed them back. AS the
battalion passed farm~houses the pigs
would squeal, the hens cackle, the zoos.
lcrs crow, and the children crawl under
the bed. To the old soldier "'Twere
worth ten years of peaceful life, One
glance at their array"
For time, although with field glass
the commander carefully surveyed the
horizon, nothing could be seen of the re.
treating forces. But at length Private
Leckton saw two men on the brow of q
distant hill. Instantly the army was
drawn up in order OF battle. Matt. Lock
ton and Contractor Murphy, constituting
respectively the right and left wings, were
ordered to charge across the ravinc, up
the hill, turn the cnemy's fanks and at
tack him in the rear. The main body
was to take strong position in buffalo
wallow and cut off his retreat.
Right royalty was made the charge of
the two wings; but when they reached
the crest of the hill no enemy was in
sight. The charging party Immediately
slgnaled back to the reserve mo en-
emy here And now occurred the only
mistake of the battle. The main body.
under the general, had probably misun-
dcrstood the signal--for, see the center
is charging Down the slope and up the
hill it speeds amid loud cries of Here
we comc--somebody head us off p But
it couldn't be done, and thes generals
charger, after vaulting over cow, was
brought up bya wire fence "half league
onward
The commander now concluded to break
ranks and fight as gucrillas. But the en-
emy must first be found. And SO, now